Study Desk

Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy,^(a) we do not give up.^(b)

Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking^(c) in deceit or distorting God's message,^(d) but commending ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight by an open display of the truth.^(e)

But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

In their case, the god of this age^(f) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,^[a](g) who is the image of God.^(h)

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,⁽ⁱ⁾ and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.

For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"^(j) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge^(k) of God's glory^(l) in the face of Jesus Christ.

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power^(m) may be from God and not from us.

We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

We always carry the death of Jesus⁽ⁿ⁾ in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

For we who live are always given over to death^(o) because of Jesus, so that Jesus' life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

So death works in us, but life in you.

And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, ^(p)[b] we also believe, and therefore speak.

We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus^(q) and present us with you.

Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving^(r) to increase to God's glory.

Therefore we do not give up.^(s) Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person^(t) is being renewed day by day.

For our momentary light affliction^[c](u) is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.^(v)

So we do not focus on what is seen,^(w) but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling^[a](a) is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling^[b] in the heavens,^(b) not made with hands.^(c)

Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring^(d) to put on our dwelling from heaven,

since, when we are clothed,^[c] we will not be found naked.^(e)

Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality^(f) may be swallowed up by life.

And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

For we walk by faith,^(g) not by sight,^(h)

and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.⁽ⁱ⁾

Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing^(j) to Him.

For we must all appear before the tribunal^(k) of Christ,^(l) so that each may be repaid^(m) for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord,⁽ⁿ⁾ we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance^[d] rather than in the heart.

For if we are out of our mind,^(o) it is for God; if we have a sound mind,^(p) it is for you.

For Christ's love compels^[e] us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all,^(q) then all died.

And He died for all^(r) so that those who live should no longer live for themselves,^(s) but for the One^(t) who died for them and was raised.

From now on, then, we do not know^[f] anyone in a purely human way.^[g] Even if we have known^[h] Christ in a purely human way,^[i] yet now we no longer know^[j] Him in this way.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;^(u) old things have passed away, and look,^(v) new things^[k] have come.^(w)

Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:^(x)

That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world^(y) to Himself,^(z) not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors^(aa) for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf,^(ab) "Be reconciled to God."

He made the One who did not know sin^(ac) to be sin^[l] for us,^(ad) so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.